The Nueva School 131 E. 28th Ave., San Mateo, CA 94403 650-235-7100 nuevaschool.org Upper School Profile 2019–20 School Advanced Curriculum Since 1967, the Nueva School At the heart of Nueva’s program Facts and Figures is an advanced, interdisciplinary has delivered an innovative, Class of 2020 enrollment 91 award-winning learning experience curriculum with significant emphasis Upper School enrollment 423 designed to meet the needs of on self-directed learning, collabora- academically gifted learners. tion, and primary research. A typical Student-to-faculty ratio 5:1 Over the past 50 years we have student course load is 7–8 classes Average class size 14 become internationally recognized per semester. Seniors typically take Students of color 57% for our unique curricular approach, 7 classes. Students receiving which inspires the passions, purpose, financial aid 21% In scope and depth, all courses and potential in each student while offered range from college prepara- Admitted to four-year igniting a lifelong love of learning. colleges 100% tory to college-level. The majority Nueva’s Upper School, launched of core courses meet or exceed in 2013, is a re-imagination of high the rigor of Advanced Placement school. In many ways more like a courses; Nueva does not designate university than a traditional high Honors or AP courses. National Merit school, Nueva offers broad-based Class of 2019 The academic program builds interdisciplinary studies coupled Semifinalists 12 a robust foundation in the major with deep explorations into specific Commended 28 disciplines, supports deep inquiry areas of interest. into topics of individual interest, Hispanic Scholar 1 Nueva is accredited by the Western and provides explicit instruction in Total 41 Association of Schools and Colleges methods of thinking and reasoning. Total % of class 54% and is a member of the California Advanced electives and independent Association of Independent Schools. courses of study allow students to move at an accelerated pace in the directions they choose. Students Test Scores Class of 2019 Nueva attracts inquisitive, high- Faculty mean mid 50% performing students from the greater ACT 34 33–35 San Francisco Bay Area who have Nearly 80% of our upper school been drawn to the possibilities and faculty hold advanced degrees. SAT challenges of a young, innovative Many have taught at the university EBRW 743 720–770 high school. level and have been recognized by Math 760 740–800 local, state, and national organiza- SAT Subject Tests These socially minded intellectual tions for leadership, excellence, entrepreneurs, researchers, and and innovation in teaching. Math II 759 650–800 artists — a senior class of 91 students English Lit. 709 670–760 who possess a high degree of Physics 757 750-800 agency and self-direction — enjoy hard problems, risk-taking, and peer-to-peer learning. Diane Rosenberg J. Gavin Bradley Director of College Counseling Erika Rojas College Counseling Head of School [email protected] Operations Manager Stephen Dunn Paul Gallagher Associate Director of College [email protected] Upper School Division Head Counseling [email protected] The Nueva School 131 E. 28th Ave., San Mateo, CA 94403 650-235-7100 nuevaschool.org Grading Applied Learning Nueva intentionally discourages Nueva supports in-depth inquiry, Defining Elements of a academic competition among research, and experimentation Nueva Education our students. We do not calculate through programs that extend class rank and do not offer and deepen the core curriculum. Design Thinking academic honors, prizes, or Students learn and develop an Quest Projects, an annual require- valedictorian status. ment, enable individual, mentored approach to problem-solving in To facilitate meaningful assessment pursuits in areas of passionate which they identify pressing and of students’ skills against absolute interest. Recent projects include practical needs and problems, benchmarks, students receive both developing a public health initiative generate creative ideas, and standards-based grades and in- to address obesity in post-embargo introduce, test, and refine solutions depth written narratives focused on Cuba, designing and building a under real-world conditions. core learning competencies. Nueva jet-pack for human flight, and reinforces continuous feedback and writing a screenplay adaptation Science of Mind recognizes the need for students to of Hamlet. Students study foundational learn from their mistakes as they take principles of psychology and risks and tackle difficult problems. The Global Immersion Program provides students with broadening neuroscience, developing fluency Grade 9 courses are Credit/ academic and cultural perspectives. in social-emotional best practices No Credit. In Grades 10–12, the They have studied anthropology through peer feedback and highest grade is an A (no “A+” and history (Peru), wildlife biology coaching. grades), which indicates the student (Costa Rica), land management has reached an Exemplary status (American West), military culture with regard to the standards for that (North Carolina), political caucuses course; a “B” indicates Proficiency; (Nevada), immigration (Mexico), What Is a Nueva Student? and a “C” indicates a Foundational and AIDS activism (New York). In their free time, Nueva students achievement of the standards. is a two-week intensive We do not weight grades. Intersession write programs and poetry, create that allows students to work, think, laboratories in their basements and It is Nueva’s policy not to report experiment, and lead in courses other worlds in their journals, borrow disciplinary infractions; our expecta- taught by local and international quantum mechanics textbooks tion is that students will self-report any experts in their fields. From surgical serious violations of school conduct virtual reality to constitutional law from their teachers, and stay up policy. Nueva’s college counseling to graffiti art, Nueva students late debating Dante. On a Friday office works with students to ensure describe this mid-year program evening, student-built robots cruise they provide colleges with appro- as an “intellectual party.” the halls, debates about global priate context for the students’ economics unfold at teachers’ decisions and their consequences. desks, and goggle-clad students pursue supervised but purely extracurricular research. Nueva was lauded by Pulitzer Prize–winning and New York Times best-selling author Thomas Friedman in his book That Used to Be Us as “what’s right in America’s schools.” The Nueva School 131 E. 28th Ave., San Mateo, CA 94403 650-235-7100 nuevaschool.org Upper School Course Offerings 2019–2020 Math History, Social Sciences, Literature and Arts: 3 years required and Civics Communications Fine and Performing *Math 1, 2, and 3 is an integrated 3 years required 4 years required 2 semesters required math sequence in which students in the same subject Required Courses Required Courses learn geometry, algebra 2, Global History I trigonometry, pre-calculus, English 9: The Great Dialogue Performing Arts basic statistics, and functions. Global History II English 10: Landscapes of Self Fall Play American History and Other Musical Theater (Intro/Adv) Math 1* English 11: American Literature Chorale (Intro/Adv) Math 2* Senior Seminars Math 3* American Government Senior Seminars A Cappella Soundwaves Calculus Rise and Fall of Rome Adaptations: Music Design and Production International Relations From Text to Screen and Stage (Intro/Adv) Post-Calculus Options Religion in America Fiction Writing Jazz Ensemble Multivariable Calculus The Immortal Gothic Genre Steel Drums Electives Mathematical Modeling “This World is not Conclusion”: Groove Workshop Differential Equations Post-Colonial Latin-American 20th Century American Poetry History Number Theory Shakespeare in the World Fine Arts Interpreting Religions Drawing (Intro/Adv) Complex Analysis 20th Century American Drama Economic Inequality Graphic Design (Intro/Adv) Linear Algebra Contemporary Narratives of Environmental Economics Slavery Mixed Media (Intro/Adv) Electives Deindustrialization and Neo- The Multitudes: Creative Writing Painting (Intro/Adv) Cryptology liberalism in Modern America French Literature from the Sculpture (Intro/Adv) Statistics and Probability Senior Economic Thesis Seminar Hexagon and Beyond How Not to Think Wrong Interdisciplinary Arts Independent and Afrofuturism: Black Histories, Stained Glass Collaborative Study Microeconomics Black Futures Fabricating Your Artistic Vision Macroeconomics Tales of Monsters and (Intro/Adv) Steel, Telescopes and Trains: Monstrosity Recreating Science and Yearbook and Online Media Seeking Truth in Amalgamation: Technology Production Lab Science The Memoir Japanamerica: 3 years required Philosophy of Consciousness Japanese Pop Culture Independent and and Personhood Collaborative Study Required Courses 50 Words for Snow: Biology Translation Theory Electives Chemistry Capitalism and the Apocalypse Intro to Journalism Electives California History: Foot, Hoof, Rail Yearbook and Online Additional Requirements Physics Philosophy of Consciousness Media Production Modern Physics Speech and Debate Nueva Quest: Pursuit of In-Depth Mastery Calculus-based Mechanics Independent and 4 years required Bioorganic Chemistry Design Thinking, Collaborative Study Drug Design Engineering, and Athletics and Wellness Experimental Biology Computer Science 8 seasons required Physics Research I-Lab Engineering and World Languages Interdisciplinary